Ready to start reducing your carbon footprint AND start lowering your monthly EWEB utility bill?
Thanks to a program called Climate Masters, a non-profit community outreach group, Eugene residents have the opportunity to become more “green” – for free.
Climate Masters – a program that is run by the community, for the community – is part of the Climate Leadership Initiative (CLI), which is the result of a collaboration between the Resource Innovation Group and the University of Oregon’s Institute of Sustainable Environment.
CLI wants to help residents understand the risks of climate change and the benefits of climate protection, and to provide opportunities for people to enact change in their lives to reduce carbon emissions. 
Carbon emissions are carbon-dioxide particles that are released into the atmosphere through human activity, specifically from carbon-based fuels. When someone refers to ‘reducing their carbon footprint’ they mean doing what is necessary to lower the amount of emissions they individually emit. In order to begin doing this, community members need to understand where the emissions are coming from in their own lives. Thanks to the FREE Climate Master program, this is now possible.
Eugene residents can schedule an appointment for a consultation with a “climate master” – a volunteer who received 30 hours of training – who will visit community homes and assess homeowners’ current level of carbon emissions. The Climate Master will examine and incorporate multiple factors in the consultation including heating/cooling systems, transportation modes, yard and gardening set up, food waste, and water use.
In the program’s pilot year, Climate Masters helped participating residents of Lane County reduce their annual emissions by two tons per person!
In the program’s pilot year, Climate Masters helped participating residents of Lane County reduce their annual emissions by two tons per person! According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, Americans emit almost 20 tons per year – the second highest personal carbon footprint (after Australia) in the world. The average worldwide is 4.5 tons per year.
With the Climate Masters program, Eugene residents will be able to immediately reduce their carbon footprint as well as their monthly EWEB bill, according to Program Director Sarah Mazze.
To get an idea of the size of your carbon footprint, try this online calculator.
To learn how to reduce the size of your carbon footprint, schedule a FREE consultation by calling Climate Masters at 541.346.0786.
Hannah Moore is a junior at the University of Oregon. As a journalism major, she is focusing her career path on advertising planning and working on a minor in writing/public speaking/critical reasoning. Hannah enjoys summer days, hanging out with her friends, and traveling.
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